Book Review : Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess

I was so happy to recently receive an Advanced Reader's Copy of Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess by author Shari Green. 

Her last novel, Root Beer Candy and Other Miracles was one of my favourite reads of 2016!

Before I talk about the story, can we talk about how charming this cover is? The colours and the tiny house behind the picket fence are so inviting!

The Book's Description:

Sixth grade is coming to an end, and so is life as Macy McMillan knows it. Already a For Sale sign mars the front lawn of her beloved house. Soon her mother will upend their little family, adding an unwelcome stepfather and pesky six-year-old twin stepsisters. To add insult to injury, what is Macy's final sixth grade assignment? A genealogy project. Well, she'll just put it off--just like those wedding centerpieces she'd supposed to be making.

Just when Macy's mother ought to sympathetic, she send her next door to help eighty-six-year-old Iris Gilliam, who is also getting ready to move--in her case, into an assisted living facility. Iris can't move a single box on her own and, worse, she doesn't know sign language. How is Macy supposed to understand her? But Iris has stories to tell, and she isn't going to let Macy's deafness stop her. Soon, through notes and books and cookies, a friendship grows. And this friendship, odd and unexpected, may be just what Macy needs to face the challenges in her life.

My Review of the Book:

Shari Green is first and foremost a fantastic writer. This story is told in verse and it is awe-inspiring the way the words and images roll through the story. And this story, about a young deaf girl whose life is changing thanks to her mother's decision to marry, is heartwarming and heartbreaking all at once. There were so many scenes where I wanted to shout "No, Macy, No!" to save her from herself, which is always the sign of a good book to me!

What really makes this book special, however, is Macy's relationship with Iris. Once a vivacious woman who lived a big life surrounded by close friends, Iris' world is shrinking thanks to early dementia and the loss of so many good friends. As Macy get to know Iris, she learns a lesson that will stick with her forever: that older people are still themselves inside and they need to feel valued, just as Macy herself does. The relationship between Macy and Iris is real and true and wonderful, and for me, makes this book not just good, but great. And I'm not going to lie. I sobbed at the end. I loved Macy so much!

Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess would be a welcome addition to every school library and school curriculum. Besides being a master class in verse writing, it is also a master class in telling stories about how relationships, and looking beyond the exterior, can change the way we look at the 

world.

About the Author:

Shari Green writes Middle Grade and Young Adult fiction. She'd in love with stories and the sea, and can often be found curled up with a good book and a cup of tea, or wandering the beaches near her home on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada.

In her non-writing life, Shari works as a Licensed Practical Nurse. She'd married to her high-school sweetheart and has four children. To read more about Shari and her books visit her website.

Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess will be published by Pajama Press on May 1st, 2017!